People's National Party (PNP) President, Dr Peter Phillips, has said that while the party is mourning over the murder of its Member of Parliament (MP), Dr Lynvale Bloomfield, it is also lamenting what he termed as "a spirit of violence and brutality that has been unleashed in (the parish of) Portland".

"We mourn the fact that a spirit of violence and brutality has been unleashed in Portland... Lynvale Bloomfield was not a violent man. He was a quiet man, he was a peaceful man, he love(d) life, but there are others who have yielded to the spirit of violence and conflict and division," Phillips stated.

In hailing Bloomfield's life of service, Phillips said there was no patient too far in Portland for him or her to benefit from Bloomfield’s medical attention.

"We come to celebrate the fact that Lynvale Bloomfield chose a life of service. His entire life was one of service to his fellow human beings. First as a doctor, and you have already heard that there was no patient who was too poor to get treatment from him. There was no patient who lived too far in Portland, who would not get his attention," Phillips said.

He further said: "There was no patient who would be turned away because of lack of money, without the medicine that they needed from him (Bloomfield). He took his calling to heal the sick and the broken-hearted as a serious calling."

PNP supporters at Saturday night's vigil in Port Antonio.

Phillips, who is also the Opposition Leader, lauded the comrades who supported Bloomfield in his political career, during which he retained the Eastern Portland seat three years ago, following victory in the 2011 elections.

Back in 2011, Bloomfield polled 9,134 votes to defeat the JLP’s Patrick Lee, who received 8,061 votes.

Bloomfield defended his seat in the 2016 elections, this time polling 8,580 votes to easily fend off the challenge of the JLP’s Derron Wood, who polled 6,345 votes.

With the PNP having won the seat since 1989, Phillips, perhaps momentarily forgetting that Bloomfield is yet to be buried, urged PNP supporters there to ensure that the party retains the seat in the yet to be announced by-election.

"So let us tonight resolve to continue his (Bloomfield's) struggle, and first of all we have to get someone to continue the work that he was doing, and when we find that person, you must ensure their election under the banner of the People's National Party, so that the struggle for land for the landless can continue; so that the fight for better education can continue; so that the effort to secure worker's rights can continue," urged Dr Phillips.

Meanwhile, two days after the release of a male person of interest from police custody after he was questioned in connection with the killing of Bloomfield, Phillips again urged the Police High Command to carry out a high-level probe into the murder.

"We mourn his passing and we mourn the violent manner of his passing, and we commit ourselves that we will leave no stones unturned until his brutal (killer or) killers (is/) are identified and brought to justice, so help me God. That is our commitment to you and before God," Phillips declared.

Several other members of PNP hierarchy were present at the vigil in honour of their fallen comrade. Those present included Member of Parliament for St Mary Central, Dr Maurice Guy; PNP Vice President, Senator Damion Crawford; and PNP Chairman and Member of Parliament for St Catherine South, Fitz Jackson.

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